Pencil-sharpener.



PATENTED JUNE so, 1908.

- T. ,VAN ALLER. PENCIL SHARPENER.

APPLICATION I ILBD APiZ. 8, I907- TYUllU VAN Al'd d llt, ObSCIHCNEUIAIIY, NEW YORKv PENCIL-SHARPENER.

Application filed April 3, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Serial No. 366,110.

To all 'w/tm'n it may concern:

Be it known that l, 'IYcno VAN ALLEN, a

citizen of the Ul1lt(.(l.St&Lt(5S, residing in Schei'icctady, county ofSclmneetady, State of New York, have invci'itcd certain new and usefulimprovements in PencilSharpeners, of which the following is a s)eci'iicatio1'1.

. The object of my invention is to provide pencil sharpener that willfacilitate the s liarie l'iing of pencils and produce superior rcs'fts.

',.his sharpener is provided with two parallel guiding surfaces, one inthe front and one in the rear of the cuttii'ig edge of thepencil-sharpening blade. The cutting edge of the blade is above thefront guiding surface. This construction permits a uniform cut orshaving of the wood of the pencil regardless of the number of times thecutting edge of the blade has been sharpened, that is, within areasonable limit, thus doing away with the adjusting of the blade, andthe pressure exerted in sharpening the pencil does not come on the lead,but it is at all times on the wooden portion of the pencil. In beginninga cut, the wooden part of the pencil is drawn across the front guidingsurface into engagement with the cutting edge of the blade which beginsto shave the pencil, and then the wooden ortion slides on the rearguiding surface untiFthe completion of the cut, thus preventing anypressure on the lead which mi ht tend to break it.

l encil sharpeners made in accordance with my invention are simple indesign and operation, and sharpen pencils in a perfect and veryexpeditious manner.

A further advantage of my invention lies in adapting the sharpener forfinishing the point of the lead for special uses. The op erationdescribed produces a point well adapted for ordinary writing, but fordrawing a chisel point or a very fine, round point is required.Heretofore in pencil sharpeners, it has been necessary to use anabrasive means for making such points, but with my improved device thisadditional feature is entirely eliminated by providing a small recess inthe front guiding surface near the edge of the cutting blade to allowthe pencil to be held at any desired an le while being drawn over theedge of the blade to shape the lead as desired.

Referring now to the accom anying drawing forming part of this s ecicatlon, Figure 1 1s a perspective view 0 a pencil sharpener of removingshavings in the interior of thereceptacle 4 after pencils have beensharpened. Secured. to the bottom of the pencil sharpener is a felt pad5 that assists in preventing the sharpener from slipping when held. bythe hand on a flat surface, such as a desk, during the operation ofsharpening a pencil. A cutting blade 7 is suitably supported on thecover 2.

In the form of the invention illustrated, blade-retaining guides 6 aresecured to the cover for the purpose of receiving the pencil sharpeningblade 7, which blade is held by a key 8 that slides under the blade andguides to secure the blade in place. If this key is drawn from under theblade 7 it may be removed. The blade 7 is cut away at 9 to engage theguides in order to prevent it from turning and to allow for there-sharpening without changing the dimensions of the sides of the bladethat are in contact with the guides 6. The inclined pencil guidingsurfaces 10 and 1.1 are, respectively, on the cover'2 and the blade 7,the latter in rear of the cutting edge of the blade. These surfaces areparallel to each other and guide the wooden portion of the pencil sothat no pressure is exerted on the lead to break it during the cuttingoperation.

In order to put a fine or chisel point on the pencil after it has beenSl1&1)6116(l, recesses 12 are cut in the front gui ing surface 10 nearthe outer edge and in front of the blade. This does away with theaddition of any abrasive means, such as sand paper, and allows the leadof the pencil to be scraped when held at any angle to give any desiredshape to the point.

To sharpen a pencil proceed as follows Hold the device against a fiatsurface, such as a desk, and place the end of pencil 011 the frontguiding surface 10 and draw it towards the pencil sharpening blade 7 3the first part of the wooden portion of the pencil coming in contactwith the blade will be shaved off and the pencil will immediatelythereafter slide on the rear arallel' guiding surface 11, that is inrear 0 the cutting edge. This,

it will be noted, does not allow any pressure to be exerted on the lead,otherwise it would break and. cause Waste and. extra labor. Should theuser care to change or resharpen a blade, it will only be necessary toslide the key 8 from under the blade, allowing it to drop from theguides.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 havedescribed. the principle of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;but I desire to have it understood. that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative, and that the invention can be carried. out by otherequivalent means.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is,

1. In a pencil sharpener the combination of a support, a cutting bladehaving a plurality of cutting edges detachably mounted thereon and soarranged that it forms guiding surfaces at the rear of the cuttingedges, and parallel guiding surfaces on the support in front of thecutting edges of said blade.

2. In a pencil sharpene'r, the combination of a receptacle, a cuttingblade detachably mounted thereon, and parallel guiding surfaces in frontand in rear of the cutting edge of said blade, the front guiding surfacehaving a recess to allow for finishing the lead point of a pencil whensharpened.

3. In a pencil sharpener the combination of a receptacle, a covertherefor, a guiding surface on the cover, a cutting blade that forms aguiding surface in the rear of the cutting edge, means on the cover forholding the cutting blade parallel with. the guiding surface on thecover, and a device for scouring the blade in place.

4. In a pencil sl'iarpenor, the combination of a receptacle, a coverthereon, a guiding surface on said cover, a cutting blade that ismounted on the cover so arranged that it forms a guiding surface in rearof the cutting edge of the blade, and means integral with the said coverfor receiving the cutting blade.

5. In a pencil sharpener, the combinati of a receptacle, a hinged coverthereon, a guiding surface on said cover, in front of the cutting edgeof the blade, a cutting bl de that is detachably mounted on the coverhaving a guiding surface in rear of the cutting edge, means integralwith the said cover for receiving the sides of the cutting blade, and akey for holding the cutting blade in a working position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of April,1907.

TYOHO VAN ALLER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WILLIAMS, J11, THOMAS W. NOONAN.

